


Beautiful Stranger

by Silent_So_Long



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Community: jim_and_bones, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-24
Updated: 2012-03-24
Packaged: 2017-11-02 10:45:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/368129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silent_So_Long/pseuds/Silent_So_Long
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard is picked up by a beautiful stranger at a masked masquerade ball.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beautiful Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> written as flashfic for sangueuk’s [birthday post](http://jim-and-bones.livejournal.com/590812.html) on jim_and_bones.
> 
> Comm is f-locked, requiring membership to view the rest of the pretty stuff.

“Care for a drink?”

Leonard looked up into the face of a masked stranger, one eyebrow raised at the sudden interruption. He looked back down towards his glass, now sitting empty in front of him, before he looked back to the person standing next to him. Impossibly blue eyes glittered behind an ornate golden mask, while multi-coloured feathers dipped down to frame what little could be seen of the man’s angular face. Tufts of scruffy blond hair peeked out randomly from behind the feathered mask, while his body was covered in black clothing, form-fitting in all the right places. 

Leonard nodded, eyes roving over the stranger‘s body, before he said - “Bourbon. Straight up.”

The man nodded in acquiescence, head dipping towards Leonard so that his full mouth was hidden from view momentarily. He turned then towards the bartender, before he ordered Leonard’s bourbon and a beer for himself. 

“So what brings you to these shores, anyway?” asked the man, as he settled his long frame upon the bar stool beside Leonard.

Leonard sighed wearily, knowing that he had no choice now but to answer the stranger's questions. One question seemed a fair trade for the bourbon, at least. 

“I’m on shore leave; Captain’s orders,” he said, as behind him, a reveller in the crowd jostled him, elbow sharp against the space between his shoulderblades. 

His mind shifted back to earlier in the day, of Jim ordering the entire Alpha shift to descend upon the recreational resort of Ritirata Sangue on the planet Scungilli VII. They’d already treated themselves to paintball and karaoke, and it had been at Jim’s insistence they attend a masked masquerade ball that evening. Jim had wrestled a grumbling Leonard into wearing a plain black mask that Jim had said accentuated his eyes. As a result of his lingering embarrassment, the doctor had headed straight for the bar as soon as he stepped foot inside the pub. 

“Oh? A soldier, I presume?” the stranger asked, next, with a quirk of eyebrows half hidden by his mask..

“You presumed wrong, kid. I’m a doctor, not a soldier,” Leonard growled, frowning slightly at the masked man beside him. “I’m the CMO on a Federation starship.” 

“I see,” the man replied, sounding impressed. “And your captain must be a very brave man, indeed, then, if he‘s from Starfleet.” 

“He likes to think he is,” Leonard said, with an amused chortle. 

“He can’t be all that bad, surely,” the man observed, sounding amused by Leonard’s statement, adding a bright and cheerful smile for added extra effect. 

“Nah. He’s the best actually,” Leonard said, quietly. “The only thing I’ve ever done right in my life is to say yes to him.” 

“Ah. You’re not single,” the man stated, rather than asked. “I take it you’re not looking for action elsewhere, then?” 

“No,” Leonard replied, firmly. 

The masked man remained quiet then, and they waited in silence for their drinks to arrive. Leonard turned away, and he watched the masked revellers reflected in the mirror on the wall behind the bar. Myriads of people cut circles upon the dance-floor, vibrant headdresses and masks offsetting equally bright clothing. He saw the familiar forms of Scotty and Gaila dancing together, happy faces shining in the dim lighting beneath their matching red masks. Spock, predictably was not on the dance-floor; instead the Vulcan seemed content to nurse his drink and watch Uhura dancing, who proved to be just as good at cutting the rug as she was interpreting all manner of languages. Leonard wasn’t surprised by that.

“You want to dance?” the masked man asked, cutting into the doctor’s observations and laying a hand upon the doctor’s forearm

“I’m no dancer, kid,” Leonard replied, as he took a sip of his bourbon.

“I bet you dance with your captain,” the man said, a clear challenge in his tone.

“You know what? He’s never asked,” Leonard admitted, with a raise of one eyebrow.

“What a waste. You look like a man who knows his way around a dance-floor,” the man beside him said.

“Don’t pander to me,” Leonard said, hiding an amused grin in his bourbon.

“I’m not pandering; I’m merely observing. So how about a dance?” the stranger asked again.

“You're persistent, I’ll give you that,” Leonard observed, as he stepped away from his seat, finally. “Okay, one dance and that’s it.” 

“Good,” the man replied, perkily, eyes glinting with happiness behind his mask.

Leonard merely rolled his eyes, before he led the way to the dance floor, just as a slow song began. Leonard inwardly cursed his bad luck and timing to be stuck with a slow song; he hated slow dances and found them embarrassing. He didn’t have chance to leave the dance-floor, because his masked partner grabbed a hold of him, hands forming a tight grip against his waist. Leonard had no choice but to sway against the other man, body stiff with discomfort and irritation. The masked stranger leant in, full lips a hairsbreadth from his ear before he spoke.

“See? I knew you could dance,” he said, voice an intimate hush against the shell of Leonard’s ear. “Just relax a little more; you’re doing fine.” 

Leonard didn’t speak; instead, he rested his hands upon the other man’s hips and swayed a little easier against the music. He felt the dance lessons his momma had enrolled him in while still a child rush back in a flood of memories, feet moving along with the slow and steady rhythms, body and mind lost to the swell of the music surrounding him.

He didn’t expect the masked man’s lips to suddenly descend upon his own, yet he found himself responding all the same, mouth moving against smooth lines and soft mouth, eyes closing as he kissed a beautiful stranger. He drew away first, eyes half open and misty, before he caught the other man’s exultant grin. The illusion of being picked up by a beautiful stranger while at a masked ball shattered, leaving him with the reality of the situation and a very cheeky masked Starfleet captain dancing in his arms. It had been at Jim’s insistence that they indulge in a bit of role-play while planet-side, yet kissing had never entered into Jim’s original plan. 

“Dammit, Jim,” he said, as Jim nuzzled his nose against his neck, feathered mask tickling Leonard’s cheek in soft lines. 

“What?” Jim replied, with an innocent smile brightening his eyes behind his mask as he leant away slightly. “I can’t kiss my own boyfriend, now? No one minds.” 

“I do, dammit,” Leonard growled, half-heartedly. “We are in public, Jim. People might see.”

“They‘ll get over it, Bones. The ones who matter already know we‘re in love anyway,” Jim said, as he pecked another kiss to Leonard’s mouth again.

Leonard sighed against Jim’s mouth, giving in finally to Jim’s constant kisses and encouraging mewls against his mouth. His lips formed unspoken words of love against the other man’s, eyes closing as he lost himself to the music and the feel of Jim against him, the soft press and slide of lips against lips. He found that despite his earlier protests, he really didn’t mind the very public kiss, or the way that Jim’s hands slid down to gently cup his ass. Leonard was lost in the moment and the magic then, and the very real feeling of holding the man he loved in his arms.


End file.
